Black Cavoodle Guide: Price, Temperament, Size & More!

The Black Cavoodle (AKA Black Cavapoo or Black Cavadoodle) is a cross breed between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Black Poodle. Their friendly, affectionate and playful nature paired with their teddy bear appearance makes them highly sought after, fetching high prices!

If you are interested in Black Cavoodles keep reading this article to find out the all the answers to your questions about this dog breed!

Cover Image Credit: Photo by Kanashi on Unsplash

What Is A Black Cavoodle?

As the name suggests, Black Cavoodles feature black hairs in their coat. There are two main types, Cavoodles with solid black coats and ones with bi-colored black coats. Solid black Cavoodles are all black while bi-colored black Cavoodles have patches of other colors. Black coloring arises from a recessive gene so not many Cavoodles have this coloring.

While black is a very common Poodle color, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are only occasionally solid black. When breeding Black Cavoodles, breeders usually cross a black Poodle with a black & tan or solid black Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. This increases the chances of producing Black Cavoodles however not many puppies will inherit a solid black coat as it is a recessive gene. Bi-colored black coats are more common than solid black coats.

Are Black Cavoodles Rare?

Black Cavoodles are pretty rare. The majority of Cavoodles have light toned coats such as gold, cream, red or ginger. Black coloring comes from a recessive gene which is the main contributing factor as to why Black Cavoodles are rare.

Characteristics

Black Cavoodle Characteristics
Size	Depends (either a Teacup, Toy, Mini or Standard Cavoodle)
Temperament	Outgoing, affectionate, playful.
Activity Levels	Moderate to high.
Exercise Requirements	30 to 60 min per day.
Lifespan	9 to 12 years.
Coat	Black wavy, curly or straight single coat.
Eyes	Brown.
Shedding	Low.
Apartment Adaptability	Can live in an apartment if given enough exercise daily.
Good with Children	Yes.

Coat Types

Wavy Hair

Cavoodles with wavy hair have a coat that features light, loose waves which gives them a teddy bear appearance. Wavy coats are one of the easiest coat types to groom, especially when compared to curly coats, as they are so much easier to brush. This coat type is also known as a fleece coat.

Curly Hair

Cavoodles with curly hair have a coat that more closely resembles the coat of a Poodle than a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Their coats are much denser and thicker than Cavoodles with wavy coats. You see curly coated Cavoodles mainly in cross-back generation s where a Cavoodle has been bred back to a Poodle. This coat type is also known as a wool coat.

Straight Hair

Straight hair coats very rare for Cavoodles and are hardly ever seen in ones that have solid black coats. This coat type is most commonly seen in Cavoodles that have a higher percentage of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel genes over Poodle genes.

Coat Color Changes

Do Black Cavoodles Change Colour?

Some Black Cavoodles change colour while others don’t. If they change coluor, it is a lightening of the tone towards a dark grey or silver. A Black Cavoodle will never completely change to a totally different coat color.

Black Cavoodles can fade color when they mature if they have inherited the “fading gene” from the Poodle. Any changes will occur within the first 2 years of life until they reach their final adult color. Some Black Cavoodles don’t fade at all while others can become a lighter shade near the root of their hairs.

Black Coat Variations

Black and White Cavoodle

Most Black and White Cavoodles are parti-colored however some are considered to be mismarked with white. A Black and White Parti Cavoodle has a mainly white coat with black patches while a mismarked one has a small white patch on it’s paws or chest. Mismarked Black and White Cavoodles fall under the category of bi-colored coats.

Black and White Cavoodles are quite rare but they are not as rare as solid white or solid black coats. Parti Black and White Cavoodles are more common than Cavoodles with a mainly black coat with a white patch on their chest.

Black and Tan Cavoodle

Black and Tan Cavoodles are also called Phantom Cavoodles as they have a two toned coat where the secondary color (tan) is in specific locations. Black & Tan Cavoodles have tan patches on their muzzle, chin, throat, chest, legs, above their eyes and beneath their tail. These patches characterise the Black & Tan Cavoodle as Phantom rather than Parti or Bi-Color.

Black & Tan Cavoodles can fade if they inherit the “fading gene” from their Poodle parent. This is likely to happen as Black & Tan is Phantom coloring which comes from the Poodle side. The black sections of their coat may go lighter to a dark grey or charcoal.

Black and Grey Cavoodle (AKA Merle Cavoodle)

Cavoodles that have black and grey markings are very likely to be Merle Cavoodle. A Blue Merle Cavoodle has random sections of their black coat diluted to lighter colors in mottled patches. They also can have blue eyes and lack skin pigmentation on their paws and nose. It is the result of carrying the “M” merle allele and a negative “m” copy of the merle allele.

Despite their captivating looks, people who are thinking about getting a Blue Merle Cavoodles need to be aware that they are the result of poor breeding practices. They are likely to suffer from deafness and ocular defects (partial or total blindness). This is especially the case for Double Merles.

Black Cavoodle Price

Solid Black Cavoodles can be more expensive than your typical Cavoodle as they are very rare. Cavoodles that are mainly black with hints of other colours are a lot more common and sell for lower prices.

Black Cavoodle Haircuts

There are many different haircuts that you can give a Black Cavoodle. Some popular ones include:

Teddy Bear Cut
Puppy Cut
Summer Cut
Lamb Cut

Teddy Bear Cut

The Teddy Bear Cut is the most common haircut for Black Cavoodles. As the name suggests, it gives Cavoodles the appearance of being a teddy bear. The length of hair is between 0.5 and 1.5 inches on the body while leg and paw hair is kept quite short. What really gives Cavoodles the teddy bear appear is trimming the head into a rounded shape with scissors. Their face hair is then blended into their body hair.

Puppy Cut

The Puppy Cut is probably the second most popular Black Cavoodle haircut. Their hair is cut to 1.5 inches all over their body and legs. Ear hair is also left quite long. Some dog groomers don’t distinguish between Puppy Cuts and Teddy Bear Cuts as they are so similar but generally the length of hair is longer in a Puppy Cut than a Teddy Bear cut.

Summer Cut

The Summer Cut is most popular for Black Cavoodles during warm weather months as it will keep them feeling cool. It’s a very simple haircut where all of their hair is cut down to 0.5 inches or less all over their body. Be careful when asking a groomer for this haircut as some will interpret it as a full shave however shaving a dog isn’t always the best idea. This is because it increases the risk of sunburn and heat stroke. Their hair also may not grow back the same.

Lamb Cut

Lamb Cuts are most commonly done on Black Cavoodles that have curly hair or a wool coat. As the name suggests, it gives them the appearance of a lamb. The length of body hair is roughly 1 inch and then their leg hair is left a bit longer with rounding on their paws. Their faces are generally trimmed leaving quite long ear hair length.

Names For Black Cavoodles

Black Cavoodle Boy Names	Black Cavoodle Girl Names
Jet	Poppy
Mickey	Ash
Teddy	Panda
Tux	Willow
Batman	Cruella
Ollie	Sadie
Panther	Cindy

Black Cavoodle Temperament

Black Cavoodle have a very friendly and affectionate temperament. They love spending time with the family whether that is snuggling up on the couch to watch TV or participating in a game of sport. They are very cuddly but also a very playful breed. They are also very intelligent which makes training relatively easy as they pick up new tricks quite quickly.

At the end of the day, the coat color of a Cavoodle does not have much affect on temperament. Black Cavoodles have the same or very similar temperaments to Red or Apricot Cavoodles or any coat colour. Environment, generation and age has a bigger impact on temperament.

Black Cavoodle Shedding

Do Black Cavoodles Shed?

Black Cavoodles do not shed much at all. They are classified as light to non-shedders as they only drop a little bit of hair here and there throughout the year and do not go through heavy seasonal shedding like other breeds. At the end of the day, the color of a Cavoodle’s coat does not have any affect on how much they shed.

One of the reasons why Cavoodles were originally bred was to reduce the heavy shedding characteristic of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel by crossing them with a Poodle.

Are Black Cavoodles Hypoallergenic?

Black Cavoodles are hypoallergenic as they are very light shedders and do not release much allergy inducing dander (dead skin cells) into the environment when they shed. In fact, all sizes of Cavoodle are hypoallergenic however some generations are more hypoallergenic than others e.g F1b, F1bb, F2b etc. The coat color of a Cavoodle does not have any affect on how hypoallergenic they are.

Black Cavoodle Size

Teacup Black Cavoodle

A Teacup Black Cavoodle originates from a cross between a Black Toy Poodle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The breeder takes the runt of this litter and another litter and continues breeding smaller and smaller sized puppies until they consistently get the teacup size. Teacup Cavoodles get to about 20cm to 25cm tall at the shoulder weigh between 3.5kg and 7kg. They are a very small breed.

Toy Black Cavoodle

A Toy Black Cavoodle is the result of breeding a Toy Black Poodle with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Toy Cavoodles get to about 30cm tall at the shoulder and weigh between 5kg and 8kg. They are slightly bigger than a Teacup Cavoodle and slightly smaller than a Miniature Cavoodle.

Mini Black Cavoodle

A Mini Black Cavoodle is a cross between a Miniature Black Poodle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They are in between the size of a Toy Cavoodle and a Standard Cavoodle. Miniature Cavoodles get to 30cm to 40cm tall at the shoulder and weigh between 8kg and 12kg. They are the second largest Cavoodle size.

Standard Black Cavoodle

A Standard Black Cavoodle is a cross between a Standard Black Poodle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They are the largest Cavoodle size and get to about 40cm to 45cm tall at the shoulder and weigh between 12kg and 18kg. They are slightly bigger than Miniature Cavoodles.

Black Cavoodle Generations

F1 Black Cavoodle

An F1 Black Cavoodle is the first generation of the breed created by crossing a purebred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with either a purebred Toy, Miniature or Standard Black Poodle. An F1 Cavoodle is 50% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and 50% Black Poodle.

F1b Black Cavoodle

An F1b Black Cavoodle is created by crossing an F1 Black Cavoodle with a purebred Black Poodle that is either Toy, Miniature or Standard sized. The resulting dog is 25% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and 75% Black Poodle.

F2 Black Cavoodle

An F2 Black Cavoodle is the second generation of the breed created by breeding a F1 Black Cavoodle with another F1 Black Cavoodle. They are 50% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and 50% Black Poodle.

Black Cavoodle Pros & Cons

Black Cavoodle Pros	Black Cavoodle Cons
Black Cavoodle coats stay looking cleaner for longer as dirt can be hidden in it.	Solid Black Cavoodles are very rare and expensive.
Black Cavoodles are very friendly and eager to please.	Black Cavoodles are more heat sensitive than the average Cavoodle and can therefore easily overheat.
Black Cavoodles do not shed much and are hypoallergenic.	Black Cavoodles have high energy levels and need lots and lots of exercise.
Black Cavoodles are very intelligent and easy to train.	Black Cavoodles require a lot of grooming which can get expensive if you get it done professionally.